Images: The Week in Pictures

Father Manny Borg of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Elk Grove Village disperses ashes to a commuter at the Cary Metra Station Wednesday.Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Younger students at St. Lawrence Catholic School watch from inside as Father Andrew Mulcahey prepares to burns palm leaves in preparation for Ash Wednesday at the school in Elgin Tuesday morning.Rick West | Staff Photographer

With a gleam in his eye, Hugh Cyboran, 8, of Arlington Heights, drives to the basket for a layup during a halftime-lull at last week's Mid-Suburban League girls basketball championship between Fremd and host Rolling Meadows. With a near-capacity crowd in attendance, Cyboran, not satisfied with just one shot on the varsity court, was about to make a second effort at the basket before being gently discouraged from doing so by game security.JOE LEWNARD | Staff Photographer

Hanging on by its red, white and blue threads is this United States flag as it is nearly ripped from it mast above the Wal-Mart in Rolling Meadows on Monday.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Technology instructor David Stopps watches as eighth grade students Devon Cole and Zach Zentz launched their model rocket Monday at Fremont Middle School in Mundelein. The students used NASA software to customize their rockets for maximum height.Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

The glow of mixed light sources lights up the pedestrian tunnel under the railroad tracks a the Winfield Train Station. I set my camera to its tungsten color balance setting to compensate for the very yellow lights inside the tunnel and make all the daylight that is spilling into the tunnel appear very blue. The combination of the multiple types of light sources and the round tunnel gave this image, in my opinion, a very sci-fi look.Mark Black | Staff Photographer

Illinois United States Rep. Tammy Duckworth visited Elgin VFW Post 1307 on Wednesday to offer encouragement for efforts to raise funds for medical centers for wounded soldiers. Here, Duckworth visits with Elgin Marine vet Walt Telford. I enjoyed capturing these two veterans, of different generations, talk about their experiences and share a common bond.Patrick Kunzer | Staff Photographer

Father Andrew Mulcahey reads a prayer as palm leaves are burned in preparation for Ash Wednesday at St. Lawrence Catholic School in Elgin Tuesday.Rick West | Staff Photographer

Father Tom Rzepiela leads elementary students, with their hand out, reciting verses before burning of palms at St. Thomas of Villanova School in Palatine on Tuesday.George LeClaire | Staff Photographer

Father Manny Borg of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church in Elk Grove Village disperses ashes to Kelly McGuigan of Lake in the Hills as she starts her commute at the Cary Metra Station Wednesday.Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Heidi Johns, associate pastor at Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glen Ellyn, administers ashes to a commuter during Ashes to Go at the Glen Ellyn train station Wednesday.Bev Horne | Staff Photographer

Commuter Alex Burnett, of Libertyville, has ashes placed on his forehead by Rev. Patti Snickenberger, from St. Lawrence Episcopal Church in Libertyville, on Ash Wednesday at the Libertyville Metra Station as part of the Ash To Go program. This is part of a nationwide movement for clergy to visit transit stops, street corners and other public places to help people participate in the religious observance.Gilbert R. Boucher II | Staff Photographer

Father Terry Keehan with Holy Family Catholic Community Church in Inverness gives Roman Golash of Palatine ashes for Ash Wednesday inside the Palatine train station.George LeClaire | Staff Photographer

Seventeen-year-old Philip Buhrke has an electrocardiogram done at West Aurora High School Thursday. Buhrke who is a runner and in the marching band. The event was organized by West Aurora High School PE teacher Meghan Hill. Students received an electrocardiogram screening as part of the Young Hearts for Life program, which conducts tests at about 30 area high schools. Doctors found abnormalities in 18 Aurora west students two years ago.Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

West Aurora High School students wait to have their electrocardiogram done Thursday.Brian Hill | Staff Photographer

Lt. Jordan Wolf hugs his daughter Kayla, a fifth grader at Ridge Circle Elementary School in Streamwood, and wife Melissa, after he surprised his daughter during an assembly Thursday. He had been deployed in Afghanistan.John Starks | Staff Photographer

102-year-old Ruth Clanton is crowned Valentines Sweetheart of the Day by resident services manager Leslie Jennings during a Valentines Day celebration at Winchester House in Libertyville Thursday.Steve Lundy | Staff Photographer

Jessica Dinella of Elgin, president of the Rescue Warriors, gets some love from a little Jack Russell Terrier named Lover Boy at the Happy Pet Parlor in Elk Grove Village. Lover Boy, along with 34 other puppies, came from Kentucky to be adopted.Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

Elk Grove High School student, Taylor Matos, 14, is one of three finalists for the Windy City Live "Search For A Star Competition." Here she does a television spot for ABC 7 in the school lunchroom.Bob Chwedyk | Staff Photographer

Dress in period attire, Piper Winkler, 13. of Geneva, participates in the winter open house at the historic Pioneer Sholes one-room schoolhouse in the LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve.Mark Black | Staff Photographer

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